Questions tagged [oscilloscope]

A piece of measurement equipment which can visualize one or more signals simultaneously on a time scale.

Further reading:

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My scope detects a 50Hz signal when the probe is not connected to a circuit, is this normal?

Having no prior experience with scopes, it seems strange to me that when the probe is not measuring anything (~ not connected to a circuit) it measures a small 50Hz (~ my mains are running at 230V 50Hz) signal instead of some random noise. Is this…
damd
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What do I need to know about oscilloscope probes?

I've run across a Hitachi V-355 oscilloscope, and a friend who's willing to give me a deal if I want it. Unfortunately, there are no probes that come with it. I was searching for probes, only to learn that they're STUPID expensive (either that or…
dwwilson66
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What to look for in an oscilloscope?

I'm getting back into basic electronics with an Arduino after many years away from the hobby, and I've forgotten a lot of my knowledge. One thing I'm finding is that I really need to get an oscilloscope to assist in designing filtering circuits to…
Mark Henderson
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Cheap 1MHz oscilloscope

I'm learning electronics (and basic electricity) and I wondered if a 1MHz oscilloscope like the DSO Nano is enough for (very) basic electrical and/or electronic circuits. I'm almost broke and I need a cheap portable oscilloscope to try various…
interlol
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How does the oscilloscope trigger really work?

I'm trying to learn more about digital oscilloscopes, especially triggering. Here is how I think the trigger works: Let's say I set the trigger to edge mode, and the level to 5V. When the signal measured then hits 5V, the scope's ADC activates and…
S. Rotos
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Solutions for holding oscilloscope probes (and freeing up hands)

I have a problem, I only have two hands and the newer oscilloscopes come with four probes. This leaves me with zero hands to press the trigger button (even if I hold three probes with one hand I still can't use four). I usually have to ask a…
Voltage Spike
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Help with oscilloscope

I'm little bit confused. Help me please to make everything clear. I want to buy oscilloscope and found two models suitable for me. Rigol DS1102E Rigol DS1102CA But I don't understand the difference between them. I read that DS1102E has 1 GSa/s…
George Gaál
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What does input capacitance mean on an oscilloscope?

My oscilloscope is rated: 1Mohm || 12pF. It's a 100 MHz oscilloscope. However, I don't get the point of the capacitance. If I set my probe on 10X (it's switchable), then it inserts 9Mohm in series. Now we've created an RC filter with -3dB break…
Thomas O
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What is the ground port on an analog oscilloscope for?

I just bought my first analog oscilloscope (GoldStar OS-7020A) and noticed it has a port on the front labeled "ground". What exactly is this port for? I thought it might be for plugging in a ground clip for probes that don't have one included, but…
David Brown
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What's ground coupling used for?

I have a digital storage oscilloscope. The probes have three options for coupling: DC AC Ground My understanding of 1 & 2 is: DC: I connect the ground clamp of the probe to ground, the 'live' probe to the thing I'm interested in and the scope…
BanksySan
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Cheap oscilloscope showing 16 MHz square wave

I own a cheap oscilloscope Hantek DSO4102C. It's rated bandwidth is 100 MHz, and sample rate is 1 GSa/s. Some info about the tool can be found here: http://hantek.com/en/ProductDetail_3_4163.html Now I have an Atmega328P MCU running from an external…
Zhenek
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What are the things I need to know when operating an oscilloscope?

I keep hitting a wall on my projects where I can't really tell what's going on and decided I really need an oscilloscope to proceed intelligently. I've got a Rigol DS1052E in the mail after a few recommendations. I know the kinds of things I need…
Dustin
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What is the importance of memory depth when selecting a digital storage oscilloscope?

I'm preparing to purchase a digital storage oscilloscope, to complement my 100 MHz analog oscilloscope. I've been demoing units and narrowing down the choices. The EEVBlog tutorial on DSOs advises that the three most important properties of DSOs…
JYelton
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50 hertz sine wave in oscilloscope when I touch it

I bought a new PicoScope USB oscilloscope and noticed that when I touch the tip of the probe with my hand I see a 50 Hz signal of 2 volts on the screen. What is causing this? (Or rather, how is the mains 50 Hz sine wave getting through me to the…
Pownyan
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A basic question about oscilloscope probes

I have recently acquired a Tek 460A scope and a mixed bag of oscilloscope probes. I have a very basic question about the probes: One of the probes is a Tek P2200. This is a 1X/10X switchable probe with a simple BNC connector on the back. If I…
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